11.01.2008

Conversations from Third Grade

Another conversation from my classroom that might make you chuckle:  

Setting:  I have just finished teaching a lesson on multiplication.  Students were just beginning an independent activity to be certain they understood the concept.  I'm circulating helping those who still have questions. 
Student 1 (from the scandalous skirt conversation) raises hand and asks:  Mrs. Brown, how in the world do you know all this stuff to teach us?  
Student 2 (a really cute by who sees everything as black or white):  Come on, (uses girl's name)! She definitely learned it at college, where'd you think she learned it?  (puts head down on desk with an exasperated sigh)
Student 1 turns to student 2 and gives him an "I wasn't asking you, buddy" look; then she looks to me as if to say, "aren't you going to tell me?"  
Me:  What grade are you in now?  
Student 1:  third.  
Me:  Well, I went to third grade once.  I learned it first in third grade.  (Then, to student 2) But I did learn how to teach it to you at college.  
Student 2 turns to student 1 and looks at her as if to say, "I'm not as stupid as you thought, am I?"  

And then, here's the one that made me feel ancient.  

Setting:  We're studying Ireland, and we're discussing why we should get our information from an encyclopedia from 2007 rather than 1986.  

Me:  What has changed since 1986?  
Various students give various answers.  
Student 1:  Mrs. Brown, were you born in 1986?  
Student 2 chimes in before I can: Of course she wasn't, she's not that old!  
Me:  Actually, I was born before 1986.  
Class:  Gasps
Student 1: Were there cars back then?  
Me:  Yes.
Student 2:  What about t.v.'s?   
Me:  Of course there were t.v.'s.  

We went on with our lesson from there, but I learned that they have absolutely no concept of age!  

3 comments:

Daphine said...

This was funny! And you are right...they have absolutely no concept of age.

The Herd said...

These made me laugh out loud!!!!! Sooooo fun to hear your students converse!!!

Jenna said...

Haha..."were there cars back then?" That was so funny!